LOS ANGELES, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Canopus BioPharma Inc. (OTC Pink: CBIA) today announced topline results from a Compassionate Clinical Trial in China, evaluating the twice daily oral administration of Mogroside IV (Mogrovir). Mogrovir is a Toll-like receptor agonist and stimulator of the patient's immune system. Mogrovir was administered orally in combination with Ribavirn (RBV), for the treatment of Genotype 1, treatment naive Hepatitis C (HCV) patients. The study showed a statistically significant result regarding the improvement of both liver function and increased blood platelet counts. A selection of patients in the trial also showed a statistically significant reduction in HCV viral-load levels, in the three month follow up period post-therapy. HCV Viral-load in these specific patients were approaching zero after a period of 180 days (90 days Mogrovir Treatment and 90 days follow-up). This fact confirmed the immune activation effects which are expected from the immune activation characteristics of Mogrovir.

China has one of the highest rates of liver cancer of any industrialized country and the majority of cases are due to chronic HCV infection. An estimated 36 million people in China are living with HCV infection and approximately 34-38 percent have the Genotype-1 strain of the Virus. Genotype-1 HCV is currently the most resistant of the HCV strains to conventional anti-viral treatments.

Twenty eight patients were enrolled in the Canopus BioPharma study and all patients completed the study, without any toxicity or negative side-effects being documented. Compared to baseline, significant improvements were observed for patients in malaise, anorexia, food intake, abdominal distension and sleep at day 90 of the study. Canopus BioPharma is currently co-ordinating with study centres in Europe and the USA to duplicate the results observed from this Chinese study.

Since Hepatitis C and the Dengue Virus are both members of the Flavivirus family, Canopus BioPharma has initiated discussions in Singapore and Thailand with the intention of commencing patient studies with Mogrovir alone for the treatment of Dengue viral infections in patients.

Canopus BioPharma is currently raising additional funds to conduct additional human studies in order to obtain marketing approvals from USA, European and Australian drug authorities.

Canopus BioPharma is positioning itself to become a major player in the field of Immune-Modulators for the treatment of Viral and other immune deficiency infections. Canopus BioPharma's unique and dynamic team is focused on creating effective treatments for emerging and established diseases like Hepatitis C, Dengue and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Canopus BioPharma Inc was incorporated in USA seven years ago and raised US$14.5 million to carry out Research and Development to produce Mogrovir together with a number of other pipeline products, which are listed on the company website.